Iran Rejects US Demand for Zero Enrichment, Warns of No Deal

Iran’s top diplomat reiterated that uranium enrichment remains a non-negotiable cornerstone of the country’s nuclear policy and a red line.

Abbas Araqchi, speaking on Thursday, warned that no agreement would be reached if the US persists in demanding zero enrichment in Iran.

“We will not give up our rights, and our nuclear program, including enrichment, must continue. But we are ready to take confidence-building measures,” Araqchi said.

“I declare frankly that if what American officials have said in their interviews, that they do not believe in enrichment in Iran, is true, there will be no agreement,” he stated, emphasizing that Iran’s goal is not to develop nuclear weapons, a stance he said aligns with Tehran’s principles.

“But if its goal is to ensure that nuclear weapons are not obtained, this can be achieved because we are not seeking nuclear weapons in principle,” the foreign minister said.

Araqchi stressed that Iran has never pursued nuclear weapons, despite possessing the technical know-how to do so. He reaffirmed that nuclear weapons hold no place in Iran’s defense strategy.

Addressing Israel’s threats to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, Araqchi vowed a swift and robust response to any aggression.

He held the US accountable for any potential Israeli attack, asserting that Israel would not act without Washington’s coordination.

Araqchi also criticized European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal for threatening to trigger the snapback mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions against Iran.

He warned that such actions would sever ties with Iran and destabilize the global non-proliferation framework.

Indirect talks between Iran and the US, mediated by Oman, have seen four rounds but remain hampered by Washington’s inconsistent positions, which has prompted Iranian officials to criticize the statements by US officials as “contradictory”.

Despite ongoing negotiations, the US continues to impose new sanctions on Iran’s oil and nuclear sectors.

Washington’s insistence on a total cessation of Iran’s peaceful uranium enrichment has been a sticking point, with the US framing any enrichment as a deal-breaker.

Tehran, however, has categorically rejected this demand, vowing to maintain its enrichment activities regardless of the talks’ outcome.

On Tuesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei , called the US demand to halt Iran’s enrichment “utterly wrong.”

He urged Washington to refrain from “idle talk” about Iran’s nuclear choices.

He expressed doubt about the prospects of the indirect talks, suggesting they are unlikely to produce meaningful results.